Porque quiero que sepáis qué gran lucha^a tengo por vosotros y por los que están en Laodicea^b, y por todos los que no me han visto en persona¹, 2 para que sean alentados sus corazones^a, y unidos^b en amor, alcancen todas las riquezas^c que proceden de una plena seguridad de comprensión, resultando en un verdadero conocimiento del misterio de Dios^1d, es decir, de Cristo^e, 3 en quien están escondidos todos los tesoros de la sabiduría y del conocimiento^a. 4 Esto lo digo^a para que nadie os engañe con razonamientos persuasivos^1b. 5 Porque aunque estoy ausente en el cuerpo¹, sin embargo estoy con vosotros en espíritu^a, regocijándome al ver² vuestra buena disciplina^3b y la estabilidad⁴ de vuestra fe^c en Cristo.

6 Por tanto, de la manera que recibisteis a Cristo Jesús^a el Señor, así andad¹ en Él^b; 7 firmemente arraigados^a y edificados en Él^b y confirmados en¹ vuestra fe^c, tal como fuisteis instruidos^d, rebosando de² gratitud³.

8 Mirad que nadie os haga cautivos^a por medio de su filosofía y vanas sutilezas, según la tradición de los hombres^b, conforme a los principios¹ elementales del mundo^c y no según Cristo. 9 Porque toda la plenitud de la Deidad reside^a corporalmente en Él, 10 y habéis sido hechos completos¹ en Él^a, que es la cabeza sobre² todo poder y autoridad^b; 11 en Él también fuisteis circuncidados con una circuncisión no hecha por manos^a, al quitar el cuerpo de la carne^b mediante la circuncisión de Cristo; 12 habiendo sido sepultados con Él en el bautismo, en el cual también habéis resucitado con Él^a por la fe en la acción del poder de Dios, que le resucitó de entre los muertos^b. 13 Y cuando estabais muertos en¹ vuestros delitos^a y en la incircuncisión de vuestra carne, os dio vida juntamente con Él, habiéndonos² perdonado todos los delitos^b, 14 habiendo cancelado el documento de deuda que consistía en decretos contra nosotros^a y que nos era adverso, y lo ha quitado de en medio, clavándolo en la cruz^b. 15 Y habiendo despojado^a a¹ los poderes y autoridades^b, hizo de ellos un espectáculo público, triunfando sobre ellos por medio de Él².

16 Por tanto, que nadie se constituya en vuestro juez¹ con respecto a comida o bebida^a, o en cuanto a día de fiesta, o luna nueva, o día de reposo^b; 17 cosas quesolo son sombra de lo que ha de venir^a, pero el cuerpo¹ pertenece a Cristo². 18 Nadie os defraude de vuestro premio^1a deleitándose en la humillación de sí mismo^2b y en la adoración de los ángeles, basándose en las visiones que ha visto, hinchado sin causa^c por su mente carnal^d, 19 pero no asiéndose a la Cabeza^a, de la cual todo el cuerpo, nutrido y unido por las coyunturas y ligamentos¹, crece con un crecimiento^b que es de Dios.

20 Si habéis muerto con Cristo a los principios¹ elementales del mundo^a, ¿por qué, como si aún vivierais en el mundo^b, os sometéis a preceptos tales^c como: 21 no manipules¹, no gustes, no toques 22 (todos los cuales se refieren a cosas destinadas a perecer con el uso^1a), según los preceptos y enseñanzas de los hombres^b? 23 Tales cosas tienen a la verdad, la apariencia de sabiduría en una religión humana¹, en la humillación de sí mismo^2a y en el trato severo del cuerpo^b, pero carecen de valor alguno contra los apetitos de la carne^c.

For I want you to know how great a ^astruggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at ^bLaodicea, and for all those who have not ¹personally seen my face, 2 that their ^ahearts may be encouraged, having been ^bknit together in love, and attaining to all ^cthe wealth ¹that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a ^dtrue knowledge of ^eGod’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all ^athe treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 ^aI say this so that no one will delude you with ^bpersuasive argument. 5 For even though I am ^aabsent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing ¹to see ²your ^bgood discipline and the ^cstability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore as you have received ^aChrist Jesus the Lord, so ^1bwalk in Him, 7 having been firmly ^arooted and now being ^bbuilt up in Him and ^cestablished ¹in your faith, just as you ^dwere instructed, and overflowing ²with gratitude.

8 ^aSee to it that no one takes you captive through ^bphilosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the ^celementary principles of the world, ¹rather than according to Christ. 9 For in Him all the ^afullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been ^amade ¹complete, and ^bHe is the head ²over all ^crule and authority; 11 and in Him ^ayou were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of ^bthe body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been ^aburied with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^braised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^craised Him from the dead. 13 When you were ^adead ¹in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^bmade you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out ^athe certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ^bHe has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had ^1adisarmed the ^brulers and authorities, He ^cmade a public display of them, having ^dtriumphed over them through ²Him.

16 Therefore no one is to ^1aact as your judge in regard to ^bfood or ^cdrink or in respect to a ^dfestival or a ^enew moon or a ^fSabbath ²day— 17 things which are ^aa mere shadow of what is to come; but the ¹substance ²belongs to Christ. 18 Let no one keep ^1adefrauding you of your prize by ^bdelighting in ²self-abasement and the worship of the angels, ³taking his stand on visions he has seen, ^4cinflated without cause by his ^dfleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to ^athe head, from whom ^bthe entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ¹ligaments, grows with a growth ²which is from God.

20 ^aIf you have died with Christ ¹to the ^belementary principles of the world, ^cwhy, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^ddecrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer ^ato things destined to perish ¹with use)—in accordance with the ^bcommandments and teachings of men? 23 These are matters which have, to be sure, the ¹appearance of wisdom in ^2aself-made religion and self-abasement and ^bsevere treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^cfleshly indulgence.

For I want you to know how great a ^astruggle I have in your behalf and for those who are at ^bLaodicea, and for all those who have not ¹personally seen my face, 2 that their ^ahearts may be encouraged, having been ^bknit together in love, and that they would attain to all ^cthe wealth ¹that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a ^dtrue knowledge of ^eGod’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all ^athe treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 ^aI say this so that no one will deceive you with ^bpersuasive arguments. 5 For even though I am ^aabsent in body, I am nevertheless with you in spirit, rejoicing ¹to see ²your ^borderly manner and the ^cstability of your faith in Christ.

6 Therefore, as you have received ^aChrist Jesus the Lord, so ^1bwalk in Him, 7 having been firmly ^arooted and now being ^bbuilt up in Him and ^cestablished ¹in ²your faith, just as you ^dwere instructed, and overflowing ³with gratitude.

8 ^aSee to it that there is no one who takes you captive through ^bphilosophy and empty deception in accordance with human tradition, in accordance with the ^celementary principles of the world, ¹rather than in accordance with Christ. 9 For in Him all the ^afullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been ^amade ¹complete, and ^bHe is the head ²over every ^cruler and authority; 11 and in Him ^ayou were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of ^bthe body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been ^aburied with Him in baptism, in which you were also ^braised with Him through faith in the working of God, who ^craised Him from the dead. 13 And ¹when you were ^adead ²in your wrongdoings and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He ^bmade you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, 14 having canceled ^athe certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and ^bHe has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had ^1adisarmed the ^brulers and authorities, He ^cmade a public display of them, having ^dtriumphed over them through ²Him.

16 Therefore, no one is to ^1aact as your judge in regard to ^bfood and ^cdrink, or in respect to a ^dfestival or a ^enew moon, or a ^fSabbath ²day— 17 things which are only a ^ashadow of what is to come; but the ¹substance ²belongs to Christ. 18 Take care that no one keeps ^1adefrauding you of your prize by ^bdelighting in humility and the worship of the angels, ²taking his stand on visions he has seen, ^3cinflated without cause by his ^dfleshly mind, 19 and not holding firmly to ^athe head, from whom ^bthe entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ¹ligaments, grows with a growth ²which is from God.

20 ^aIf you have died with Christ ¹to the ^belementary principles of the world, ^cwhy, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^ddecrees, such as, 21 “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” 22 (which all refer ^ato things destined to perish ¹with use)—in accordance with the ^bcommandments and teachings of man? 23 These are matters which do have the ¹appearance of wisdom in ^2aself-made religion and humility and ^bsevere treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^cfleshly indulgence.